Pissing to Pass

Thanks to you and Susan DeGrane for the well-written and wonderfully objective article on the cross-dressers convention ["Cross-Dressers Make Good Husbands," July 2]. As an attendee at the convention, I appreciated the insights shown and obvious thoughtful and nonjudgmental analysis and presentation given by Ms. DeGrane.

One observation seems in order though. Ms. DeGrane commented that, "There may have been a few high-heeled shoes pointing toward the toilets instead of away from them, but that only occurred to me after I'd left." Not real likely. Most cross-dressers sit to pee.

First of all, when appearing in public, cross-dressers are trying to "pass" as women, and to stand before a toilet, with shoes pointing in the wrong direction, would be a sure giveaway of one's actual sex.

Of more consequence, standing to pee while cross-dressed requires three hands; one to hold up the skirt or dress and slip, one to hold down the panties and panty hose (men don't pull their underpants all the way down while peeing--only the front part), and one to hold and aim the penis. Should the skirt fall down, the pants come up or the stream be misdirected, one is likely to pee all over one's self, one's clothes, one's shoes, or the floor. Any or all of these undesirable consequences can not only be uncomfortable, embarrassing, and difficult to explain, but also serve to draw attention to one's self and greatly decrease the chances of successfully "passing."

To paraphrase the old saying of "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," let it be said that, "When in the women's room, do as the women do." Or would it be more appropriate to say, "When trying to 'pass' as a woman, be sure you 'pass' (piss) as a woman."